Have a guess what the motor tax is on a BMW M5 with a beefy bi-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine under the bonnet? It’s €140. Yes, the annual motor tax for this €160,000-plus supercar is lower than a Toyota Yaris.
A scam? No, just the system at work, rewarding this Bavarian beast for its eco-credentials. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid format, the new M5 claims a CO2 emissions figure of just 37g/km and a mind-bending fuel economy figure of 1.7 L/100km (166mpg). Save the planet: buy a BMW M5.
Changes are afoot at European Union level to address the discrepancies between laboratory test results and actual on-road emissions. But for now, the M5 sidesteps those revisions.
We can be flippant about the nuances of the tax regime, but there is no messing about behind the wheel of the M5.
With 727 thoroughbred horses under your watch, you know there is no room for messing about. This is the realm of Aidan O’Brien or Arab Sheikhs.
The potent new BMW M5 is not to be taken lightly: it demands respect. You might ignore its menacing stance, the telltale trim notes in the interior and even the extra buttons. But once you touch the throttle and bring it to trot you feel its force.
There is no question that– this car packs a heavyweight punch. And yet treat it with respect and it obediently follows orders to the letter.
The all-wheel-drive system may be noticeably biased to the rear wheels – enough to give a little wiggle if you’re turning in with a heavy right foot – but the advanced traction management system in play here could keep a tanker on track in a hurricane.
It’s a rather apt analogy, for this beefy BMW is a hefty beast. The new M5 weighs in at a whopping 2½ tonnes. That’s into the world of full-fat SUVs.
Much of this can be blamed on the plug-in hybrid format, though the 4.4-litre block isn’t exactly feather-light either.
This brings us back to those emissions figures: can an M5 be that green? Yes, on paper, thanks to the ability to lean on the 195hp electric motor, supported by its 18.6kWh battery pack.
By opting for this format, BMW could downsize the V8 slightly. Previously the M5′s engine block – in its CS specification – put out 635hp. Now the V8 in the new M5 – called the G90 in BMW product code that’s oft referenced by the brand’s most ardent fans – puts out 585hp. The extra horses are courtesy of plug-in power.
That electric motor means you can waft along in full EV mode for up to 70km.
So can you discretely waft about town in an M5? Perhaps. But even the most motoring illiterate will recognise there’s something special about this BMW. There’s a whiff of menace and money about it. It’s not quite the stealth supercar that characterised the past M5s we held in such high esteem – even if it can whoosh along on electric, comfortably carting a family of four with luggage in luxury.
The cabin, though very similar to the regular 5 Series and its all-electric sibling, the i5, has some standout splashes of red that are hard to miss. For example, the red tab at 12 o’clock on the steering wheel, the red stop-start button and of course the little red memory buttons atop the centre of the wheel.
These little buttons allow you to preset two formats. This is where things get interesting and incredibly complex. Instead of letting its elite engineers hone the car to the flavours they think work best for their needs, BMW has opted to let the driver decide.
On the M5 you can adjust the suspension firmness, the steering weight, the throttle response, and even the kick from the gear changes on the eight-speed automatic box. For each, there is a variety of settings.
The idea is that you create two profiles that best suit your driving needs and then give each its own memory button. It’s a degree of personalisation, that on paper looks frustratingly complex, but it allows each owner to customise the car to their tastes.
This democratic approach to tech is something BMW practises in all its cars. For example, scroll through the myriad of apps available on its touchscreen and it’s comparable to the Apple store.
It’s as if the engineers are afraid to make any hard calls on cutting back the options in case it might annoy someone who really loves to get their news from a global wire service read out by a robot voice.
If, after several months of tweaking the settings, you eventually get to drive the M5, then you’re in for a pleasant surprise. It may weigh the same as a mid-sized hippopotamus, but it gallops like a thoroughbred racehorse.
Unlike the myriad of EVs that rocket from a standing start, the M5 doesn’t run out of puff when it hits 100km/h. It’s only getting into its stride. The meatiest throttle seems to be available from 60km/h to 120km/h, which is where you really need it (and upwards if you find yourself on an unrestricted German autobahn or private track).
The beauty of the M5 is that at all speeds, this car feels rock solid. The ride quality is staggeringly good, while the steering is pinpoint accurate, helped by the rear-wheel steering system. Between these features – and the modicum of respect you need to hold for its immense power – the M5 inspires confidence.
And it’s agile, though not enough to make it as much fun as an M2 on Irish back roads, even with the Active M Differential conducting things for the rear wheels. Its footprint and heft are simply too big to match the agility of its smaller sibling on country roads. Then again, you are dealing with a car with an extra 250hp over the M2.
If you have six figures to spend, it’s hard to see why you would not have this in your garage. For a start, thanks to the current tax regime’s recognition that it’s a low emission car, you can pick it up for circa €50,000 less than the previous version.
It’s not quite the stealth and nimble supercar we loved in the past, but it can play its PHEV eco card, something its predecessors certainly couldn’t, and wins out under the current motor tax regime.
Lowdown: BMW M5
Power: 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo 585hp (436kW) petrol engine combined with a 145kW electric motor supported by an 18.6kWh battery pack.
0-100km/h: 3½ seconds
CO2 (Motor tax): 37g/km (€140)
Official WLTP L/100km (mpg): 1.7 l/100km (138mpg)
Electric-only range: 70km
Price: €161,572 as tested (starts at €136,000)
Our rating: 4/5
Our verdict: A family saloon powerhouse that’s a winner on the road and in the tax regime
